As Switch Ltd. planned a new data center in Gaines Township outside Grand Rapids three years ago, the company considered it critical that Consumers Energy could power the facility entirely with renewable energy.

About 20 years ago, energy experts predicted a major challenge with producing the amount of electricity needed to accommodate the huge growth of the internet and storing companies’ data on energy-intensive servers.

Driven by relatively affordable real estate and a diverse workforce, the West Michigan region has become a growing hub for call centers, administrative back offices and — to a lesser extent — data centers.